Bib



April 27, 1948.

. ELLEN WITMER MILLER ENTOR v ATTbRNEY Patented Apr. 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BIB Ellen Witmer Miller, Rochester, N. Y., assignor it)! oiliqe-riifth to William Edward Neely, Roches- Application February18, 1946, Serial No. 648.259 3 Claims. (Cl. 2-49) 1 This invention relates to a paper bib of imenables them to be securely joined together. proved design. It is particularly directed to a An adhesive material, such as glue or the like, bib made of an absorbent paper which is both for example, which forms a dry non-sticky coatsoft and tough and which is especially adapted ing which is moistened for use can be used. for use by small children and infants. However any suitable adhesive can be used and It is an object of my invention to provide an, I do not wish to restrict myself to glue. Either inexpensive paper bib which is easily attached to of the strap members 3 and 4 can be provided the user and which has a readily adjustable with such an adhesive coating. In the drawings neck opening. A particular object is to provide the underside of strap 3 is so provided as clearly a bib of the above characteristics made of abillustratedin Fig. 4, for example. sorbent paper, especially a soft, tough, absorbent Fig. 1 shows a preferred form of the bib of paper. A further object is to provide a new my invention. The opening 2, however, need article of manufacture comprising a pad of bibs. not be generally elliptical in shape as shown al- Paper bibs possess the advantages of being though this shape has been found to be highly economical, convenient and sanitary. They are satisfactory because if this shape opening is used economical and convenient in that they are of when the straps 3 and 4 are Joined to each low cost and are disposed of after use without other, a generally round opening (see Fig. 2) the customary laundering or cleaning. They are approximating the shape of the neck results. sanitary in that they are used but once and then The slit 5 can be, for example, in the center or discarded, more nearly toward the center of the top edge My invention is more fully described with refof the bib so as to form strap members equal erence to the accompanying drawings in which: in length or more nearly so than shown or it Fig. 1 is aplan view of the bib, can be somewhat to the right of that shown in Fig. 2 is a view of the bib in closed position, Fig. 1. The type construction shown in the Fig. 3 shows one way in which the bibs may drawings, wherein one of the strap members is be secured together in pad form, and substantially longer than the other, has been Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view showing the found to be quite satisfactory. It is also to be underside of the top portion of the'bib illustrated noted that the bib illustrated in the drawings is in Fig.1. not completely rectangular in shape since the Like numbers refer to like parts throughout upper comers have been cut away. These corthe several views. ners need not be cut away but a more desirable The bib is shown as havinga body part I bi-bresults if they are.

composed of paper. The shape of the body part Fig. 3 illustrates a pad of bibs of the type is shown, for purposes of illustration only, as shown in Fig. 1. The pad form provides a conbeing generally rectangular. At one of the narvenient means for dispensing the bibs as they row ends of the bib an opening 2 is provided in can be readily removed singly or in greater quanorder that the bib may be secured or attached tities as needed without damage thereto. The to the neck of the wearer. side to be used to form the closed or sealed end The opening 2, which is within the bib, is of the pad is a matter of preference. As shown shown as being generally elliptical in shape and in Fig. 3, the pad is sealed at its bottom edge as extending diagonally and upwardly across a by means of a suitable adhesive in conventional considerable portion of the upper part of the bib. fashion. Other types of pads can be formed. Adjustable strap members 3 and 4 which are an Thus a pad can be formed, for example, by integral part of the bib are formed by providing stapling the bibs together at one of the edges a slit 5 which extends from the upper part of the and providing perforations in the bib parallel opening 2 to the top edge of the bib. and adjacent to the staples permitting the bibs In use the bib is placed around the neck of to be removed without tearing. To illustrate, the wearer, the opening 2 being adjusted as to the bibs can be stapled together at their bottom size by means of the straps 3 and 4. to fit the edge and suitable perforations can be provided neck of the wearer. The straps 3 and 4 may in the bibs adjacent and parallel to the staples be secured to each other in a variety of ways. which permit the bibs to be removed as desired They can, for example, be pinned together or without damage thereto. Where this latter form held together by a piece of adhesive material of pad is used the bib can be prepared rfrom a such as gummed paper or cellulose tape. One sheet which is either slightly longer or wider advantageous way is to secure the straps to each than the bib, the extra length or width proother by applying a suitable adhesive material viding space in which to staple and perforate to either side of at least one of the straps which the bibs. In making pads the bibs should, of

3 course, be made from paper which does not objectionally stick or adhere to itself, that is the bibs should be readily separable from each other.

For use the bibs can also be properly folded in interlocking fashion and placed in a suitable container or dispenser whereby they can be withdrawn one at a time as needed. This manner of dispensing paper products (paper towels, cleaning tissues, etc., for exampleis well known and further description is believed to be unnecessary.

The bib of my invention can be made from a wide variety of papers. Any paper that does not tear too readily and which is otherwise suitable can be used. Absorbency is not required although it is desirable. Similarly softness is not required although it is desirable. The paper should, of course, possess sufllcient strength to make it useful for the purpose intended. While a number of papers that can be used to make the bib are indicated hereinafter it is believed that papers that can be used will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

As previously indicated the bib advantageously is made of an absorbent paper which is soft as well as tough. Suitable papers for making the bib include, for example, paper towelling materials. An absorbent paper which is softer but which is not as tough as those just indicated can be usedif the bib is not subjected to much strain. Both the papers specifically mentioned are absorbent and soft within the meaning of those terms as used herein and in the claims. The paper towelling is likewise tough. Papers similar to one or the other of the above papers or intermediate in character also can be used as can papers which are non-absorbent or relatively non-absorbent.

Papers, such as absorbent papers, of insufilcient strength to make really satisfactory bibs can be used, for example, by aflixing thereto a tough paper, which may or may not be absorbent, as a backing material. Any other suitable backing material can be used but from a practical viewpoint only low cost materials are feasible. The suitability of any given material for use as a backing material, or of any paper that can be used to make the bib will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention is directed. The papers mentioned are illustrative and not limitative of those that can be used. The softer, the tougher, the more absorbent the paper that is used the better.

If desired, the bib can have decorative effects or patterns thereon rendering it more pleasing to the eye. When decorative effects are used they should not, of course, be such as to materially impair the utility of the bib.

The opening 2 can be lined with a soft material, such as paper or cloth, to reduce any possibility of irritation to the neck of the wearer to a minimum. Normally this added precaution is -un-' necessary as is evidenced by the fact that bibs. without the neck lining referred to, made of the towelling material first mentioned have been successfully tested on small children without any apparent discomfiture whatsoever to them. The

neck lining when used can be afilxed to the bib in any suitable manner as by stitching or gluing thereto.

The meanings of the terms soft, tough and absorbent, as used herein and in the claims, are believed to be clear. By tough is meant that the paper is strong or durable enough that it is not too readily torn when subjected to normal use 4 for the purpose intended. This is either obvious or readily determined as is the absorbency or nonabsorbency of a paper. The term soft means that the paper is not harsh and does not feel harsh to the skin.

It will be understood that the bib shown and described herein is illustrative and not limitatlve oi. my invention as other modifications are possible. To illustrate, the opening 2 can be a different shape from that specifically shown in the drawings. It can be round, square, rectangular or other suitable shape, for example. I donot wish to be limited except as set forth in the claims.

What I claim as my invention and desire to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A paper bib comprising a sheet of paper having a neck opening generally elliptical in shape extending diagonally and upwardly across the upper part of the sheet and wholly within the sheet, a slit extending directly from a point in the upper part of the neck opening which is near the major axis of the neck opening to the top edge of the sheet and wherein the direction of said slit is toward the center. of the top edge of the sheet, adjustable strap members formed by said slit whereby said neck opening can be adjusted to fit the neck of the wearer and an adhesive material aflixed to at least one of said strap members whereby said strap members can be fastened to each other.

2. A paper bib comprising a sheet of soft, tough.

- absorbent paper having a neck opening generally elliptical in shape extending diagonally and upwardly across the upper part of the sheet and wholly within the sheet, a slit extending directly from a point in, the upper part of the neck opening which is near the major axis of the neck opening to the top edge of the sheet and wherein the direction of said slit is toward the center of the top edge of the sheet, adjustable strap members formed by said slit whereby said neck opening can be adjusted to fit the neck of the wearer and an adhesive material affixed to at least one of said strap members whereby said strap members can -be fastened to each other.

3. A paper bib comprising a sheet of paper having a neck opening generally elliptical in shape extending across the upper part of the sheet and wholly within the sheet, a slit extending from the upper edge of the neck opening to the top edge of the sheet, wherein said slit extends from a point on the upper edge of the neck opening which is relatively near to the top edge of the sheet and wherein the direction of said slit is toward the center of the top edge of the sheet, adjustable strap members formed by said slit whereby said neck opening can be adjusted to fit the neck of the wearer and means whereby the adjustable strap members can be fastened to each other.

ELLEN WITMER MILLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,164,369 Woolever July 4, 1939 2,262,010 Kuehne Nov. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 392,076 Great Britain May 11, 1933 

